Houston Ballet is bringing back its signature holiday production of Stanton Welch's “The Nutcracker” this winter, with more than 300 Academy students joining the professional company on stage at the Wortham Theater Center. The company held its first sensory-friendly Nutcracker performance at The Wortham in 2025, designed to welcome audience members who need a more flexible theater environment.
A Decade of Welch's Vision on the Wortham Stage
Stanton Welch choreographed this version of “The Nutcracker” in 2016, and it has anchored Houston Ballet's holiday season ever since, according to Houston Ballet. Welch has led the company as artistic director since July 2003, and the official Houston Ballet season page describes the production as featuring “dazzling sets, glittering costumes, and more than 300 Academy students performing alongside the professional company.” Houston Ballet's own listing states the 2026 run spans Nov. 27 through Dec. 28, while ABC13 reported that the 2025 production runs Nov. 28 through Dec. 28 at The Wortham Center. Either way, the production's final curtain is set for Dec. 28.
Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker Performance Debuted at The Wortham in 2025
Houston Ballet's schedule lists a Dec. 18, 2026, performance at 7:30 p.m. The company's first sensory-friendly Nutcracker performance at The Wortham took place in 2025.
For the sensory-friendly performance, house lights stayed on throughout the show, additional signage was posted, audience noise was acceptable, and attendees could enter and exit the theater as needed. Jennifer Sommers, Houston Ballet's academy director, appeared on Eyewitness News to preview the performance ahead of the holiday season.
Where to See It
The standard run of “The Nutcracker” takes place at the Wortham Theater Center in downtown Houston. Houston Ballet also held a sensory-friendly Nutcracker performance there in 2025, offering audience members a more flexible theater environment.
